Download Religion 2 - model answer

Using Sources A and B and your own knowledge, describe what the evidence
shows about religion in Pompeii and Herculaneum. (28 lines; 8 marks)
SOURCE A
The Temple of Isis in Pompeii
SOURCE B
Statuette of Fortuna with statuettes of Lares on either side
MODEL ANSWER
Unlike modern religions, the Roman religious system was controlled by the state. Priests and
priestesses were appointed by the state, and were expected to serve its interests. Religion
was seen as a way of uniting the community behind the government and the emperor.
The three most important gods in the Roman pantheon were Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.
Together they were worshipped as the Capitoline Triad in the Temple of Jupiter. This temple
had a prominent place in the forum in Pompeii.
Temples in any Roman city served two main purposes: they were a place where the images
of the gods were placed, and a place where the priests could perform the rituals of the
religion. They were not places where the common people would go to worship. For the
residents of cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum, most worship took place in the home.
Every house had a shrine to the lares, the household gods. These lares were small statues or
paintings of the gods, as shown in Source B. The statuette in the centre is of Fortuna, the
goddess of luck. The role of the lares was to protect the household. People would try to
appease them by making small offerings of food each day. In poorer households, this might
just be a few crumbs.
Foreign cults were also present in Pompeii and Herculaneum. The two main such cults were
those of the Greek god Dionysis (the god of wine) and the Egyptian god Isis. Isis was popular
with slaves, as it offered happiness, salvation and relief from suffering. The Temple of Isis in
Pompeii, pictured in Source A, was fully restored following the earthquake of AD 62 –
evidence of just how important this cult was in the city.